Barcodes in Adobe InDesign Data Merge
- This tutorial shows how to create barcodes in Adobe InDesign using an Excel file as data source.
- Watch the video or follow the steps below.
![](https://media.barcodewiz.com/images/decd98fd-8c58-41bc-8e45-4ad9e2ac72de-UPCEAN_indesign_THUMB.png)
Step 1. Create barcodes in Excel
- Click on Addins > UPC EAN Options.
![](https://media.barcodewiz.com/images/14cff834-c8e0-48c3-a7f3-5ffb01a8f875-UPCEAN_indesign001.png)
- Select the version of the symbology you want.
- Close the window.
![](https://media.barcodewiz.com/images/37821b01-240a-432b-8326-4b35105df1dd-UPCEAN_indesign002.png)
- Open the Excel file with data to convert or enter the values. Our example has the following data:
![](https://media.barcodewiz.com/images/28f58660-2ba6-4721-b9db-80f1e6d5246d-UPCEAN_indesign003.png)
- Using your mouse, select the cells to convert to barcodes.
- Click on Selection To Barcodes.
![](https://media.barcodewiz.com/images/8e8dcfca-0506-4f46-9e2b-217c607ee871-UPCEAN_indesign004.png)
Step 2. Save the file in CSV UTF-8 (Comma Delimited) format
- Click on File > Save As
- For InDesign versions older than 2022 Select CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited) and enter the name of the file: Mail Merge Data.csv.
- For exporting for use in Macintosh or for InDesign 2022, select "Unicode Text (*.txt)".
- Contents of our saved file:
![](https://media.barcodewiz.com/images/64916d15-c19a-425f-a205-726d332b5dc0-UPCEAN_indesign006.png)
Step 3. Start Data Merge in Adobe InDesign
- Click Window > Utilities > Data Merge
![](https://media.barcodewiz.com/images/c8499ea4-0b70-471a-9e1a-3bc607f3d241-UPCEAN_indesign005.png)
Step 4. Select Data Source
- click the panel menu icon and click Select Data Source...
![](https://media.barcodewiz.com/images/f0618fcb-b812-4d4c-8274-6165a2786dbc-UPCEAN_indesign007.png)
- Browse for the file we saved in step 2 and click Open.
- The fields are now shown in the Data Merge panel.
![](https://media.barcodewiz.com/images/82856c46-0cb6-4320-be14-498b1456b2e0-UPCEAN_indesign008.png)
Step 5. Add Data Fields to label
- Drag the field names onto the label area.
![](https://media.barcodewiz.com/images/91286cbc-5466-411d-b42c-4991005d5afc-UPCEAN_indesign009.png)
Step 6. Set Barcode Font
- Select the Barcode field on the label and change its Font Name to BCW_UPCEAN_1 and Size to 24 pt
![](https://media.barcodewiz.com/images/19a20dca-7d32-4c6e-8dc5-766bb5d7d122-UPCEAN_indesign010.png)
![](https://media.barcodewiz.com/images/a950e94e-a434-4f47-832f-71f97fbdeff8-UPCEAN_indesign011.png)
Step 7. Create the Merged Document
- Click on the Create Merged Document button at the bottom of the panel.
![](https://media.barcodewiz.com/images/b555bb95-6705-40b4-80eb-360cf7aede63-UPCEAN_indesign012.png)
- Select which records to merge and click OK. We are selecting All Records here.
![](https://media.barcodewiz.com/images/aa3427f5-cb05-4df1-8e65-ad399eb21467-UPCEAN_indesign013.png)
Ready!
- The Merge is now complete.
![](https://media.barcodewiz.com/images/46869b51-5b13-4b6e-b149-8fa5d5f88a50-UPCEAN_indesign014.png)